Pound It!
by Just-Absolutely-Super
Summary: Marinette and Adrien are assigned as partners for a literature project. They make a good team. Surprisingly...
**AN:** I'm English dub traaaaaaaaaash.

Well, partially at least. I'm inclined to use some things from the original French dub (the spelling of Chat Noir's name and his nickname for Ladybug as "My Lady" rather than "M'lady"), but everything else is pure and certified English dub traaaaaaaaaaaash.

Anyways, this is based on a thought I had sometime after I got into the series. I made a tumblr post about it and told myself I'd make a fic out of it. Months later, and it finally happened (thanks finals, you always know how to motivate me to do things that _aren't_ studying hahaha).

Anyways, hope you all enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** Miraculous Ladybug is © Thomas Astruc and Zagtoon. I'm not making a profit out of this, no sir.

 **Note** : I'm _painfully_ American, so if I've just totally butchered how a things function in France then I apologize in advance.

* * *

For once, luck seemed to be on Marinette's side.

The class was assigned a project in their literature classes, one that was worth a good chunk of their final grade consisting of a powerpoint presentation and a written report along with it. Partners were to be given, no more than groups of two. And _of course_ it would be up to the teacher to decide who should work with whom.

As Miss Bustier named off partners, Marinette prayed to whoever was listening that she would _not_ be paired with _Chloe_. She was so desperate she even stuck her hand into her purse to rub Tikki's head for some Ladybug luck!

Thankfully, Marinette would not be working with Chloe (Tikki was _so_ getting extra cookies when they got home!). Instead, in an odd sort of twist of fate, she was assigned to be with Adrien Agreste. Her crush. As in, the person who Marinette _couldn't even speak a full, comprehensive sentence to!_

She was screwed.

After a ten minute pep talk from Alya and even _more_ rubbing of Tikki's head for good luck, Marinette stiffly walked with Adrien to the library where the two talked (with a _lot_ of difficulty on Marinette's part, but at least she was _trying_ ) about what their topic should be and to gather as much information as they could.

That first hour was rather awkward, but Marinette soon found herself in the zone and things with Adrien gradually became more easy-going. In fact, Marinette was actually surprised with how well they worked together. They divided the work, Marinette reading through textbooks while Adrien looked up further information on the internet via his tablet, each taking notes and discussing what would be best to put in and what the other thought about how the presentation part of the project should go.

In the end, after all the research was finished, it was decided that Marinette would make the presentation part of the project since she was the best at designing (Adrien's words. Marinette's face was _still_ red well after she got home that night thanks to that compliment), leaving Adrien to do the written portion. They also agreed that when one of them was finished with their given task, they would switch and have the other review it.

The project was due in a week. They finished it in close to four days.

That was the fastest Marinette has _ever_ finished a project! She supposes it was because there were hardly any Akuma attacks that week and the fact that Adrien's schedule was fairly free, but still, Marinette was very impressed with her and her crush's teamwork.

Maybe it was a sign that they really _were_ meant to be!

( _"Uh huh, sure. Whatever you say, girl,"_ Alya had chuckled when Marinette voiced this thought. The pigtailed girl wasn't listening though, too busy on cloud nine at how close she and her handsome boy had become in the past few days.)

Unfortunately, some of Marinette's good luck _had_ to run out at some point. This time it manifested into an Akuma attack the morning the project—both paper and presentation—was due.

Not wanting to be late to their respective classes, both Ladybug and Chat Noir used their teamwork to apprehend the Akuma, break the possessed item, and purify the butterfly in record time.

"Pound it!" the two called, doing their usual celebratory fist bump.

"Well, my Lady," Chat started as he and Ladybug pulled their hands away, "as much as I would love to stay and _cat_ -ch up with you, I really must take my leave." He gave his partner a wink and bowed, "Until our next meeting."

"Hopefully it won't be soon as far as Akumas go," Ladybug said, giving him her own teasing wink. With that, the two went in opposite directions to change back.

Marinette ran as fast as she could to school, the Akuma having taken her a few miles further than she would have liked. Seeing the building in the distance, she sped up, faltering slightly when she caught sight of a familiar face running just as hard as her to the door.

"Adrien?" she called. Said boy stopped and looked back at her, just as surprised to see her as she was to see him.

"Marinette?"

"You're late too?" they both asked and stopped to stare at each other upon realizing this before chuckling awkwardly.

"Uh yeah," Marinette decided to say, cursing the heat creeping up her cheeks, "I, uhh, overslept. Silly me! Must've been too nervous about the project last night to get any sleep. Haha," she ended with a somewhat uncomfortable laugh, hoping Adrien didn't notice that she came from the _opposite direction_ of her home.

"Oh yeah, me too." Adrien said, rubbing the back of his head, "Nervous I mean. I'm late because of a, uhhhh, photo shoot. Yeah, a last minute, early morning photo shoot. Heheh."

"Oh, cool," Marinette said, leaving the two to just stand at the door, awkwardly staring and chuckling at each other. Well, then…

"So… Wanna go inside now?" Marinette asked, not quite sure where to go from here.

"Oh! Yes, of course! Don't want to be more late than we already are." Adrien said, opening the door for her, "After you."

"Oh, what a gentleman!" she teased, giggling and allowing some of her Ladybug attitude to show. Internally though, she was screaming. _'He opened the door for me! AND I DIDN'T STUTTER AT ALL IN FRONT OF HIM! PROGRESS!'_

Once the two made their way to the classroom, they saw that the class and Miss Bustier had their undivided attention to Ivan and Alix, who were currently giving their presentation. Using this to their advantage, Marinette and Adrien quietly opened the door and snuck in, casually sitting in their seats and listening to the speakers as if they were there the whole time.

Oh yeah, they were good.

"Nice of you to join us Mr. Agreste and Miss Dupain-Cheng," their teacher called after the presentation was finished. The aforementioned students flinched. Okay, maybe they _weren't_ so good after all, "I'll let it slide for today, though. That is, if you two have your project ready?"

The teenagers immediately jumped up, Marinette having her flash drive ready and Adrien holding a folder containing their paper, "Yes ma'am!"

"Excellent!" Miss Bustier smiled, "Go ahead then."

Adrien and Marinette nodded and sent each other encouraging looks as they moved to the front of the class and set everything up.

And just like when they were working on their assignment, the presentation part itself went without a hitch. Both teens were confident as they talked to their classmates about their topic, speech clear and concise. Adrien and Marinette knew when the other was supposed to speak next, and there was hardly any faltering or stumbling (to which Marinette was _so_ thankful for that).

By the time they were finished, the class was applauding them and Miss Bustier was beaming at them.

"Excellent work, you two! You will be sure to get a passing grade for your hard work."

"Thank you!" Adrien said, face splitting into a grin. He turned to Marinette who was sporting a smile of her own, "Nice job, partner!"

If Marinette thought she was happy before, then she was absolutely _ecstatic_ now! She giddily bounced on her feet, "It was no problem at all," she said then hesitantly added with an embarrassed giggle, "partner."

The two held each other's gaze. Marinette couldn't say for sure, but there was this strange pull she felt. It wasn't quite the romantic one she usually felt around her crush. No, this was different somehow. Almost…familiar?

Adrien must've felt it too because next thing she knew both of them simultaneously, almost in sync, outstretched their arms to each other and hit their knuckles together in a fist bump.

"Pound it!" they yelled in unison.

Then the world seemed to have stopped all together.

 _Wait… What?_

For what seemed like hours, the two just stared at each other with wide eyes, only breaking eye contact to stare at the pair of fists that were still touching. Honestly, Marinette couldn't even fawn at this development because _what just happened was just too weird to be ignored_.

Adrien appeared to be about to open his mouth and maybe break this awkward silence, but Nino's holler stopped him.

"Yo Adrien, Marinette, you two okay?"

Whatever spell was put on the two was immediately broken as they quickly put their arms down and away from the other's. They glanced around and realized that everyone was gathering their stuff and heading out the door. Only Alya and Nino were still standing by their seats, waiting for their best friends.

"Y-Yeah, just fine," Adrien said, his voice having a mystified tone to it. Marinette stayed silent, still trying to process the odd moment she and Adrien had shared.

"Well, come on then," Alya said next, moving to the dark haired girl to usher her out the door. "We have to head to physics now. Ms. Mendelev isn't as nice as Miss Bustier. She'll _really_ give you two detention if she notices you're late."

"Y-Yeah," Marinette replied, finally finding her voice. "Let's go."

As they walked to their next class, Marinette still couldn't shake the fist bump and the shared celebratory cry that followed.

That's not a thing she does with Adrien, but with _Chat Noir_.

 _'Could he be—?'_

Little did she know that Adrien was having the same inner turmoil. Honestly, working with Marinette this past week had been so _familiar_ but he always brushed it off. The recent action they pulled off together, however, couldn't be brushed off.

Because he doesn't triumphantly yell the phrase "Pound it!" with Marinette, but with _Ladybug_.

 _'Could she be—?'_

They made it to their physics class, Adrien and Marinette going to their respective seats.

Marinette stared at Adrien's head for a minute, but then shook her head and chuckled to herself.

 _'Of course not, that's ridiculous!'_

Adrien settled into his seat, humming to himself before wiping his current thoughts from his mind.

 _'Nah, it was just a coincidence.'_

The final bell rang and everyone turned their attention to the front of the class as Ms. Mendelev began her lecture. She started handing out worksheets, wanting the people of the front row to pass them back to those behind them. Adrien grabbed the sheets of paper and turned around.

Green met blue.

And for a while they just held the other's gaze, each searching the other for something they weren't quite sure of.

Finally, Marinette broke the eye contact by grabbing the papers, taking one for herself, and then turning in her chair to pass the others back to Ivan. Adrien blinked for a bit before turning back in his own seat.

As class droned on, one thought continuously passed through their minds.

 _'Maybe.'_

* * *

 **AN:** So, it hit me as I was finishing writing this that the assignment I gave Adrien and Marinette was more reminiscent of what you would find in a high school or university course. Whoops… But then again, if these kids are supposed to be in the French equivalent of _middle school_ and taking a freaking physics class, then hopefully a very vague literature project with paper and powerpoint shouldn't be too farfetched right? That's my viewpoint anyway.

And yes, I cheated you guys out of a full Reveal. Sorry, not sorry. ENJOY YOUR OPEN ENDING!

Drop me a review and tell me what you think. Thanks for reading! ^^


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